Letter: Growing opposition to the BNP among 'islanders'

Sir: John Torode's article on the Isle of Dogs 'Dogfight in the Docklands', 29 March) made my blood boil. He claims that as he canvassed the Barkantine estate 'from nobody is there any principled criticism of the BNP'. His canvassing must have been amazingly selective. There is a large, active and growing opposition to the British National Party both on the Barkantine and every other local estate. On the very day the BNP canvass he talks about took place, the area was covered in anti-racist posters put up by local people.

He also claims the BNP 'canvassers' were mainly 'islanders'. This is not true, whatever the BNP told him. Almost all are bussed in on a Saturday morning. Mr Torode also repeats the BNP claim that 'Anti-Nazi League people' come down to the island, which 'pisses people off'.

The Anti-Nazi League does not 'come down' to the island. We are local people who oppose the BNP. More than 200 islanders, black and white, joined the recent TUC demonstration against racism. On every estate there are groups of active Anti-Nazi League supporters. We live in and feel safe and at home in our community.

The BNP did win too many votes here last year, by conning people as to what it really stood for. But 85 per cent of island voters did not vote for Derek Beackon, and despise everything he stands for. In May's election we will be making sure everyone here knows exactly what the BNP stands for and that it is defeated.

Yours faithfully,

PAUL CAMPBELL

Isle of Dogs

Anti-Nazi League

London, E14

29 March

(Photograph omitted)